Dispensing valve



Sept 25 1962 R. F. ANDERSON 3,055,404

DISPENSING VALVE Filed May 18, 1960 172 I 57 s f* kalm 7 L Sttes l et.. "a,

3,055,404 DISPENSENG VALVE Ralph F. Anderson, 332 Calvin Park Blvd., Rockford, Ill. Filed May 18, 1960, Ser. No. 29,878 9 Claims. (Cl. 141-144) This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing materials and particularly to an apparatus of the type having a rotary dispensing nozzle.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for dispensing material of the type having a rotary dispensing nozzle in which the amount of material dispensed can be selectively varied.

A more particular object of this invention is to provide an improved rotary dispensing nozzle including a stationary valve member having a discharge orifice at one side and a rotary member extending around the stationary member and having a discharge port adapted to communicate with the discharge orifice in which the size of the discharge orifice in the stationary member can be selectively adjusted to vary the amount of material dis- -pensed through the discharge port during each rotation of the rotary member.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved rotary dispensing nozzle in accordance with the foregoing object in which the angular positions of the rotary valve member at which flow commences Vand terminates can be independently adjusted to control both the amount of material dispensed into each container andthe relative position of the dispensing port and the container during the dispensing operation.

These, together with various ancillary objects and advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the dispensing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the dispensing nozzle; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane 3 3 of FIG. l.

Reference is now made more specifically to the accompanying drawings wherein there is illustrated a rotary illing head mounted on a filling machine 11. The filling machine is preferably of the type disclosed in the patent to Ralph F. Anderson and Marvin Heifetz, No. 2,863,271, for Cup Filler and Capper, to which reference is hereby made for a more detailed disclosure of the filling machine. In general, the lling machine disclosed in the patent includes a housing 13 having a bearing 14 therein for rotatably supporting the nozzle support shaft 15. An annular star wheel 16 forming a conveyer is rotatably supported by a plate 17 at the underside of the housing and extends outwardly therefrom to advance the containers C past the ller nozzle 10. The star wheel has a ring gear 18 attached thereto which is driven from a suitable drive shaft (not shown) and which meshes with a spur gear 19. The spur gear 19 is non-rotatably connected to a stub shaft 21 rotatably supported in the bottom wall 13a of the housing and which stub shaft is drivingly connected through bevel gears 22 and 23 to the nozzle support shaft to rotate the nozzle in timed relation with the advance of the conveyer. As the star wheel 16 rotates, the containers C supported on the conveyer platform 25 are advanced by the star wheel in a path below the filler nozzle. In the embodiment illustrated, the ller nozzle has six annularly spaced discharge nozzles or ports and accordingly the gear ratio between the star wheel and the nozzle support shaft 15 is selected so that the shaft 15 is angularly advanced one-sixth of a turn each time the star wheel is advanced a distance corresponding to the angular spacing between the adjacent pockets in the star wheel.

The nozzle 1t? includes a hollow annular stationary valve member 31 and a rotary valve member 32 which extends around the stationary member. As shown, the stationary member includes a generally cylindrical wall 33 having spaced ribs 34 and 35 at one end defining an annular groove therebetween. A generally L-shaped bracket has one leg 36 thereof attached to the housing 13 and a depending leg 37 formed with a semi-circular notch 38 at its lower end adapted to extend into the groove between the ribs 34 and 35 on the stationary valve member. An arcuate clamp 39 is hingedly attached by a pin 41 to the depending leg of the bracket and is adapted to extend around the underside of the stationary valve member in the groove therein to support the valve member on the bracket. A fastener 42 (FIG. 2) is provided for detachably locking the clamp to the depending leg of the bracket. With this arrangement, the stationary valve member is held against rotation and also against axial sliding movement.

The stationary valve member also has an eccentrically extending flow passage 44 disposed inwardly of the cylindrical wall 33 and opening at one end thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, the end of the ow passage has a -ange 45 thereon adapted to mate with a ange 46 on the supply pipe 47 and a split clamp ring 43 overlaps the flanges 45 and 4d to detachably clamp the same together. The ow passage 44 has an end wall 51 at its other end and communicates with a lateral opening 52 in the cylindrical wall 33 of the stationary member. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lateral opening in the wall 33 extends circumferentially of the wall through a relatively wide arc and the sides 44a of the How passage lare flared outwardly to communicate the flow passage with the full arcuate width of the opening 52.

The rotary valve member 32 includes a generally cylindrical wall 61 which surrounds the cylindrical wall 33 of the stationary valve member, and an end wall 62 which overlies the inner end of lthe stationary valve member. The end wall 62 is attached by fasteners 63 to a ange 64, and which ange is non-slidably and non-rotatably connected to the shaft 15 by a pin 65. rllhe rotary valve member has discharged ports 68 formed in the cylindrical Wall 61 thereof and which are adapted to communicate with the discharge opening 52 in the stationary member as the rotary member turns relative thereto. As herein shown, six angularly spaced discharge ports are provided 'and each port has an outwardly extending nozzle 69 formed therearound. As is apparent from FIG. 3, dispensing of material through each discharge port cornmences when that port begins communication with the discharge orifice 52 and continues throughout an appreciable arc of movement of each port until that port again moves out of registry with the discharge orifice. In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for `adjusting the effective size of the discharge orifice to vary the quantity of material dispensed to each nozzle. The adjustment of the size of the discharge orice is advantageously so arranged as to enable independent adjustment of the angular position -at which ow through the respective nozzles is commenced and is terminated. For this purpose, recesses 71 and 72 are formed in the outer periphery `of the cylindrical wall portion 33 of the stationary valve member and each intersect the discharge orice 52. Arcuate blades 73 and 74 are slidably disposed in the recesses 71 to enable angular adjustment of the blades relative to the stationary valve member. The arcuate blades engage lthe inner surface of the cylindrical wall 6'1 of the outer rotary valve member and extend into the discharge orifice as best shown in FIG. 3. Studs 75 and 76 are attached to the blades 73 and '74 respectively and project inwardly through elongated slots 7S and 79 in the stationary member. Wing nuts 81 are provided for detachably clamping the blades in an angularly adjusted position. As will be noted, the studs 7S and 76 extend into the hollow stationary valve member at a point angularly spaced from the passage 44 so that the blades can be -adjusted when the inner and outer valve members are in assembled relation. The blades 73 and 74 overlie the path of movement of the ports 68 in the rotary valve member. The amount of material dispensed through each port can be selectively varied by adjusting the spacing between the adjacent edges of the blades 73 and '74. Moreover, the blades can be adjusted so that dispensing through each port occurs in equal arcs from a vertical plane through the center line of the nozzle or, alternatively, can be adjusted to effect dispensing through relatively greater arc at one side of the center line than at the other.

I claim:

1. A rotary container filling nozzle comprising, an annular stationary valve member having passage means opening at one side thereof and defining a discharge orifice, `an annular rotary valve member extending around the stationary member and mounted for rotation about the axis of the stationary member, said rotary valve member having at least one delivery port in the side thereof which is small as compared to the angular width of said discharge orifice and adapted to register with said discharge orifice as the rotary member is turned relative to the stationary member, and means for adjusting the angular width of said discharge orifice lto selectively vary the portion of each revolution of the rotary valve member during which the delivery port communicates with the discharge opening whereby to regulate the amount of material dispensed through the discharge port in the rotary member.

2. A rotary container filling nozzle comprising, an annular stationary valve member having passage means opening at one side thereof and defining a discharge orifice, an annular rotary valve member extending around the stationary member and mounted for rotation about the axis of the stationary member, said rotary valve member having at least one delivery port in the side thereof which is small as compared to the angular width of said discharge orifice and adapted to register with said discharge orifice as the rotary member is turned relative to lthe stationary member, at least one arcuate blade mounted on the outer periphery of said stationary member for angular adjustment relative thereto and extending into said `discharge orifice at one end thereof, and means for adjusting the angular position of said blade relative to said stationary member to vary the size of said discharge orifice and thereby vary the portion of each revolution of said rotary valve member during which the delivery port communicates with the discharge orifice.

3. A rotary container filling nozzle comprising, an annular stationary valve member having passage means opening at one side thereof and defining a discharge orifice, an annular rotary valve member extending around the stationary member and mounted for rotation about the axis of the stationary member, said rotary valve member having at least one delivery port in the side thereof which is small as compared to the angular width of said discharge orifice and adapted to register with said discharge -orifice as lthe rotary member is turned relative to the stationary member, a pair of arcuate blades mounted on the outer periphery of said stationary member for angular adjustment relative thereto and extending into said `discharge orifice at relatively opposite ends thereof, and means for selectively locking said blades in a preselected adjusted position on the stationary valve member to selectively vary the size of said discharge orifice and thereby Vary the portion of each revolution of said rotary valve member during which the delivery port communicates with the discharge orifice.

4. A rotary container filling nozzle comprising, an annular stationary valve member having passage means opening at one side thereof and defining a discharge orifice, an annular rotary valve member extending around the stationary member and mounted for rotation about the axis of the stationary member, said rotary valve member having at least one `delivery port in the side thereof which is small as compared to the angular width of said discharge orifice and adapted to register with said discharge orifice as the rotary member is turned relative to the stationary member, at least one arcuate blade mounted on the outer periphery of said stationary member for adjustment relative thereto, said blade extending part way across said discharge orifice to control the effective size of said discharge orifice and engaging the inner face of said rotary member to thereby vary the portion of each revolution of said rotary valve member during which the delivery port communicates with the discharge orifice, and means for locking said blade in a preselected adjusted position on the stationary valve member.

5. A rotary container filling nozzle comprising a hollow annular stationary valve member having a fioW passage disposed eccentrically thereof and opening at one side of the stationary member to define a discharge orifice, an annular rotary valve member disposed around the stationary member and mounted for rotation about the axis of the stationary member, said rotary valve member having at least one discharge port in the side thereof which is small as compared to the angular width of said discharge orifice and adapted to register with said discharge orifice as the rotary member is turned relative to the stationary member, at least one arcuate blade mounted on the periphery of said stationary valve member for angular adjustment relative thereto, and means for selectively locking said blade to said stationary valve member at a point angularly spaced from said discharge orifice, -said blade extending part way across said discharge orifice and engaging the `inner surface of said rotary member to control the effective size of said discharge orifice to selectively vary the portion of each revolution of said rotary valve member during which said discharge port communicates with said discharge orifice.

6. A rotary container filling nozzle comprising a hollow annular stationary valve member having a flow passage disposed eccentrically thereof and opening at one side of the stationary member to define a discharge orifice, an annular rotary valve member disposed around the stationary member and mounted for rotation about the axis of the stationary member, said rotary valve member having at least one discharge port in the side thereof adapted to register with said discharge orifice as the rotary member is turned relative to the stationary member, said stationary valve member having a pair of recesses formed in the periphery thereof and extending from opposite ends of said discharge orifice, a pair of arcuate plates disposed in said recesses for angular adjustment relative to said stationary valve member and extending into said discharge orifice, and fasteners on said plates extending into said hollow stationary member at points angularly spaced from said discharge orifice and externally of said fiow passage for selectively locking said plates in an adjusted position relative to said stationary member.

7. In a rotary filling machine, the combination of a rotary filling nozzle having an annular stationary valve member with its axis disposed substantially horizontal, said stationary valve member having a flow passage opening at the underside thereof to define a discharge orifice, an annular rotary valve member extending around the stationary member and mounted for rotation about the axis of said stationary member, said rotary member having a plurality of discharge ports in the side thereof which are small as compared to the angular width of said discharge orifice and each adapted to register with said discharge orifice as said rotary valve member is turned relative thereto, means for advancing containers horizontally past the lling nozzle in timed relation with the rotation of the nozzle, and means mounted on the stationary Valve member for adjusting the angular Width of said discharge orifice to selectively vary the portion of each revolution of said rotary valve member during which said discharge port communicates with said discharge orice.

8. In a rotary filling machine, the combination of a rotary filling nozzle having an annular stationary valve member With its axis disposed substantially horizontal, said stationary valve member having a flow passage opening at the underside thereof to deiine a discharge orice, an annular rotary valve member extending around the stationary member and mounted for rotation about the axis of said stationary member, said rotary member having a plurality of discharge ports in the side thereof which are small as compared to the angular width of said discharge orice and each adapted to register with said discharge oriiice as said rotary valve member is turned relative thereto, means for advancing containers horizontally past the filling nozzle in timed relation with the rotation of the nozzle, a pair of arcuate blades mounted on the periphery of said stationary member at angularly spaced points therearound `and extending into said discharge yorifice at opposite ends thereof, and means for independently locking said blades in adjusted position to said stationary member to independently adjust the angular position at which the ports in the rotary member begin to communicate with the discharge oriiice and the point which Iiiovv from the discharge orifice to the respective discharge ports is terminated.

9. In a rotary iilling machine, the combination of a rotary iilling nozzle having a stationary valve member, said stationary valve member having a ow passage therein terminating in a discharge opening, a rotary valve member mounted on the stationary valve member for rotation relative thereto, said rotary valve member having close running iit With said stationary valve member around said discharge opening therein and having an outlet opening movable into and out of registry with the discharge opening in the stationary member as the rotary member turns relative to the stationary member, means adjustably mounted on one of said valve members at the interface between the rotary and stationary valve members and movable across the opening in said one of said Valve members for selectively changing the angular width of the opening in said one of said valve members, and means for advancing containers past the nozzle in timed relation with the rotation of the nozzle.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,218,315 Redd Mar. 6, 1917 1,580,303 Jones Apr. 13, 1926 2,893,605 Anderson July 7, 1959 

